Well, I’m a little late with this one, and probably the last person on the ‘net who plans on reviewing Rather Ripped. All I can think to say is “It’s not bad.” There’s a lot of dissonance, a little bit of noise, but where most critics are calling this Sonic Youth’s most accessible […]

(EMI International, 2006) “How the mighty have fallen…” That has been the running theme to the solo career of one Richard Ashcroft. “He can’t top Urban Hymns” people say, in reference to his previous band’s highwater mark. But, do we act the same way when any artist from a famous band breaks […]

(Capitol, 2006) Whatever happend to the likely lads of 2001/2002? The garage rock revival was supposed to be the saving grace of “real” rock and roll. At the very least, it saved us from more of that moronic rap rock that had become so prevelant in the late ’90s. The Vines were […]

(Nettwerk, 2006) The Submarines are quite the stereotypical little indie pop band - members John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard are married, and probably because they made Declare a New State! together; they’d broken up, but grew together again over the course of recording an album about their relationship woes. The music reflects that […]

(One Little Indian, 2006) Just who in the hell does Greg Dulli think he is? Do we believe his evil, drug addled screams, or his lush sweet croonings? His tales of loss and yearning? His rants of agony? The truth is, in the end, it doesn’t matter. With his newest […]

(Columbia, 2006) The songs on Persephone’s Bees’ debut album, Notes From The Underworld, were all written and sung by Angelina Moysov, who grew up in Southern Russia, where she both attended music school and got a much less formal music education from Russian pop culture. The combination of musical sources from Moysov’s upbringing shines […]